Screw holding screw driver with expanding bit



May 9, 1950 R. s. HANSEN SCREW HOLDING SCREW DRIVER WITH EXPANDING BIT Filed Feb. 2l, 1947 Patented May 91,

U N I T ED S TATE-S #PATENT GFF-ICE Z2,506,922 'scmiwioriprirc SCREW' Dailvnavvirnf -EXPANmNdl BIT Robert fS. Hansen, Waukegan, `Ill. Appiicatin'revriia'ry 21,1947,v 'serial Nar/29,935'

v'1? Claim.

Theprsent invention relates toa screw 'driver and more specifically to a screw 'drive'having the capacity -of'holding 'the screw prior to its insertion or after its removal frornits'po'sition i'n thescrew threaded memberto which it is to be applied.

Many screw drivers Ihave been 'manufactured and sold whichfare capable of holding'thes'ciew by' having means adapted'toholdingly engage the kerf cfa screw. II ve'ver,in all of theseprior art arrangements 'the Construction has been 'c'o'mplic'ated, diicilt lto manufacture,and'insatis;V

ltion t@ its secondary function es 'a"earlierthev screw driver has'the primary fun'tin of Yserving as a scribingtool.

Accordingly, it is a'nobjet'ofthe present indriver'of the screw" holding type. l

It is 'another object 'of the present invention to provide a combined scrwfd'riverand scribingltooi Vwhich combination alsopr'ovid'es a screw "driver ofthe 'type Capable 'of 'holdin'ga' scew'oi'fbolt 0xffl nie type having a neadp'r'o'vided with 'a suitable kerf.

Still another object of th'e'p'res'e'nt invention is to provide a, new and improved screw-holding screw driver which is sturdy in c'onstrictioninexpensive to manufacture and fool-proof -in op# eration.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as thefollo'wing description proceeds and the features "of novelty which characterize the invention will be` pointed out with particularity in the claims Vannexed to and forming apart of this specification.

For a better understanding. of the present invention, reference may be had to the accompanyin'g'drawing in which: g

Fig. 1 is an elevational View of a screw driver embodying Vthe present invention;

Fig.. 2 is an elevational View of the scribing tool Awhich also forms a partof .the screwdriver of the presentinvention;

Fig. s is, a Sectionaifvierwiakn on'iie "3 3 of Fig.l 41s a Sectie-nai view taken oniinefaiaa of Fig. l showing the'screwdriverin the non-screwholding position;

' shapey shown in *thedrawingl Inan'ner'of fastening" the tubular member I5 to Figzf: is aview similar to Fig. Y'4 showingrthe screw "driver inthe screw-holding position;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view f a portion fflFig. 5; and Y Fig. '7 is 'an enlarged rsectional "view'tak'enon iinje 1 1'ofrig. t. e pp Referring new "te the drawing, 'there is 4'illuso'mprising a suitable handled: I preferably "fortified of 'an insulating niaterialfsuch as Ya'tlejrrioS'etting or ather'nopl'as'tic naterial. 4Asillustratec'i in Fies. l aiidS or" tliedra'wingjthis handle is suitably shaped in the conve'ntioralmanner of "Screw driveriieiiuls wherein-'it' may reardiiy'be I aber using iiie'serfie. Also, as is best sno'wnin s. '4 'ende of the drawiii'gjthis handle i I is'pividfedwitii areiativeiyiarge axially arranged recess; f opening 'or counterborel `I`2= at ineupper part' of the'nandie, whereas `attnelower fa somewhat siriana-axial recess i3 isfpfrovimd. intereniieetirig triesef'rwo recesses Izarra isis riativeiysm'aii'axiai 'gas- "sageway I4. It should beundersteodtnatthe re- "c'esses or passageways I2,Y i3, and liefe interconnected and lifroifide*e;y continuous passageway les' in 'prior artiarranginents," the handle r'II is .preferably 'fastened 'to' va suitable blade which is provided at onefenid with a Shrew-eneagihg Y'portion. Inthe'dawingfthe'handle Ii isiliustrated fasbeingsuitably fastened to a tubula'rnevmber I5 having a longitudinally oraiallyextending opening :I therein. Preferably, tubular meinbei" I5 is forined'of steel tubingjtiie 'upper end of lwhich "opening "id 'in tubular fmrnber i5 `When inserted -in the handle I'I is'preierablyooextensive with tlie passagewaysd-Z and 'I4 formed in -thehandlc "II; Itwll b 'understood that thefiiandlell ma;7 be fastened to the member I'E any suitabieinexpensive manner. If desired" ,tubular Vmein-ber l'm'fay 'be provided `with suitabief extensions or ea'rs 'not shown' which v'tcigether 'with the end of the rnembei' "I5 are 'niolded into the handle' I I when this Vhandle is initially formed into'v Ythe The lparl'ficular the 'handle k:'I' forms'no'lpart'of "the present ine "vention:'arid-'anylsuitablemans for accomplish.- 'ing'thispurpose'rnayilcneeniployed.y

For the purpose ofproviding-a's'orew'driverbit,

Athe'oth'erendfof -tlie bladeort'ubular member' I5 is attened as 'indicated ati'l in the Vdrawings so vvasV kto define a portion readily adaptable `'for -en- *gagingmthe kerf' of Y a 1screw tsueoJ as'the -kerf' I8 of the screw I9 provided with the head 20 as clearly disclosed in Figs. 4, 5. and 6 of the drawing. In accordance with the present invention the lower end of the iiattened portion I'I of the blade I5 is undercut as indicated at 2l for a distance of the order of the depth of the kerf I8 formed in the screw head 20. In forming the flattened blade portion I1, the opening I6 in the blade I5 is substantially closed as indicated at 23 and is substantially non-existent throughout the extent of the flattened portion I'I as is apparent in Fig. 4 of the drawing.

In order to provide screw holding means the lower end of the blade I5 is bifurcated along the axis of the blade so as to define two portions |5a and I5b. A suitable steel or similar ring 22 is lprovided at the upper end of the bifurcation so as to prevent movement of the protions of the blade above the ring 22 and so as to define a sort of a pivot for the portions I5a and I5b. Preferably, the ring 22 is disposed in an annular recess 24 dened in the blade I5 so that the blade I5 is smooth and substantially continuous along the outer surface thereof. 'Ilhe ring 22 may completely encircle the blade I5 or, if desired, the annular recess 24, as shown in Fig. '7 olf the drawing, may be discontinuous as indicated at 25. The important criterion is for the external surface of the blade I5 to be relatively smooth as is apparent from Figs. 4, 5, and 6 of the drawing.

In accordance with the present invention the screw driver I includes a suitable scriber or scribing tool 28 best shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. This scribing tool 28 comprises a suitable insulated handle 29 including an integral skirt or shank portion 30 and a steel blade portion 3| of slender conguration terminating in a conical end or point 32. The upper end of the blade 3l is preferably provided with a suitable portion 33 adapted to be molded within the handle 29 at the time the handle 29 is formed whereby the blade 3| is rigidly fastened to the handle 29. It will be understood that the handles I I and 29 are preferably formed of the same kind of insulating material. The scribing tool 28, which may have as its primary function its use as a scriber, is also adapted to be combined with the screw driver I0 of the present invention, it being insertable within the longitudinal passageway comprising the recess I2, the passageway I4 and the passageway I6. all arranged so as to define one continuous passageway. When inserted in this manner, the shank 3!! of the handle 29 is adapted to fit within the somewhat enlarged recess I2 in the handle li and is normally in the position shown in Fig. 4 and in solid lines in Fig. 1 of the drawing. In this position the point 32 extends approximately to the end of the passageway I6 which h'as been closed as indicated at 23 while forming the blade or attened portion I1. When the undercut portion 2I of the screw driver I0 is inserted within the kerf of a screw I9. the operator may move the scri-hing tool 28 from the position shown in solid lines in Fig. .1. to the position shown in dotted lines or. in other words, from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings whereby the point 32 of the scribing tool 28 causes the bifurcated portions I5a and |512 to spread apart as shown in Figs. and 6 of the drawing with the consequent result that the bifurcations are spread 'against the walls of the kerf I8 of the screw I9 so as firmly to hold the screw on the end of the screw driver I0. It will be apparent that the operator may depress the scribing tool 28 to the position shown in Fig.

5 of the drawings merely by applying his thumb to the insulating handle 29.

In view of the detailed description included above, the operation of the screw driver of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, `and no further description thereof will .be included. It will be understood, however, that the present invention provides a screw driver including a screw driver Iportion and a separate scribing tool which may be used for any scribing operation desired. When the screw driver is to be employed to hold the screw, then the scribing tool is inserted within an axial passageway extending through the screw driver to cause the bifurcations I5a and |5b to perform the holding operation. The screw driver I0 without the scribing tool 28 is capable of being employed as a conventional screw driver. It will furthermore be apparent that with the shank 30 of the handle 29 disposed within the recess I2 a suitable insulating screw driver is provided whereby the operator will not obtain an electrical shock through manipulation of the screw driver. In addition, it will be apparent that a sturdy, inexpensive construction is provided which will give very satisfactory service for a long period of time.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the particular construction shown and that changes and modications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and it is aimed in the appended claim to cover all such changes and modifications.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A screw driver comprising a handle formed of electrical insulating material having an axially disposed passageway therein, means defining a counterbore of ya predetermined depth at one end of said handle, said counterbore effectively comprising an enlargement of said passageway, a tubular shank including an axially disposed passageway therein, one end of said shank being fastened to the other end of said yhandle so that said passageways are coaxial, means defining a attened bifurcated blade portion at the other end of said shank readily to engage the kerf of a screw, and an expanding tool having a handle including an integral shank portion, said handle land integral shank portion being formed of electrical insulating material, said expanding tool being insertible into said coaxially arranged passageways to spread said bifurcations into holding engagement with the kerf of a screw with said integral shank portion disposed in said counterbore, said integral shank portion being of such length as to close the open end of said counterbore in all normal positions of said expanding tool within said passageways whereby contact with parts of said expanding tool other than said insulating handle thereof is prevented.

- ROBERT S. HANSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of' this patent:

UNITED STATES PA I E NTS Number Name Date 595,859 Miller Dec. 21, 1897 1,343,101 Weaver June 8, 1920 1,563,064 Beardmore Nov. 24, 1925 1,688,131 Fink Oct. 16, 1928 2,227,466 Runge 7 Jan. 7, 1941 

